Low Back Pain

Iontophoresis Protocol: Low Back Pain

Most individuals will be affected by back pain at some point in their life. As many as 8 of 10 Americans will have a back injury sometime during their lifetime. Back pain accounts for many lost days from family, work, and untold pain. Low back pain may be caused by: soft tissue irritation from muscle, tendon or fascia irritation, the facet joint (synovial membrane, capsule), the anterior and/or poste­rior vertebral ligaments, the intervertebral disc, the dura mater or dura! sleeve, the nerve root, or the bone. These irritants can be caused primarily by trauma, repetitive motions, internal stressors, or any combination.

Careful evaluation must be carried out by the practitioner to determine which exact tissue is implicated. Additionally, pain can be referred to the back from other structures or conditions such as from the viscera (reproductive system. urinary system) vessels (occlusion of iliac arteries, aortic aneurysm), the neural system (arachnoiditis, infections of the neural tissue, neoplasms) or systemic disorders (osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis). Evaluation and careful screening are required before treat­ment can be successfully carried out. Treatment of low back pain is multifaceted and usually involves several treatment modalities depending on the severity of the injury. The ultimate goal of treatment is to restore full function of the individual.